US692531A

US692531A - Electrolytic cell.

Info

Publication number: US692531A
Application number: US67305498A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest A Le Sueur
Original assignee: ELECTRO CHEMICAL Co
Current assignee: ELECTRO-CHEMICAL Co; ELECTRO CHEMICAL Co
Priority date: 1898-03-08
Filing date: 1898-03-08
Publication date: 1902-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1919-02-04

Description

' "Ni-692.5%. Patented Feb. 4, I902.

E. A. LE SUEUR.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

(Application filed Mar. 8, 1898.) (No Model.)

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST A. LE SUEUR, or RUMFORD FALLS, MAINE, ASSIGNOR 'ro THE ELECTROCHEMICAL COMPANY, or RUMFORD FALLS, MAINE, A con- PORATION OF MAINE.

ELECTROLYTIC CELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,531, dated February 4, 1902.

Application filed March 8, 1898. Serial No. 673,054. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it away concern:

Be it known that I, ERNnsr A. Ln SUEUR, a subject of the Queen of Great Britian, residing at Rumford Falls, in the county of Oxford and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrolytic Cells, of-which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accom pan ying drawing.

The drawing represents in vertical transverse section a cell embodying my present invention.

My invention consists in an electrolytic cell or apparatus of improved character by means of which the process of producing a solution of the required alkaline hydrate may be carried on more directly than heretofore and continuously. I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a simple embodiment of the invention and will now proceed to describe the same. I

A leading characteristic of my improved cell or apparatus may be expressed by stating that in the Working thereof the alkaline metal as it is set free by the electrolytic action is absorbed by one side of a quantity of mercury and is continuously separated from the mercury at the other side of the latter, whereby as fast as the alkaline metal enters the mercury it is removed therefrom and con- Verted into the required hydrate. Thus 6 designates an external containing tank or vessel, Which preferably is formed of iron and has the negative Wire connected therewith, as at 7. The said tank or vessel 6 is more or less completely filled with water 8.

9 designates a frame consisting (conveniently) of Wooden strips united to one another, so as to form a rectangular frame of the required dimensions. 1O designates a sheet of fine reticulated or foraminated metal-such,

, for instance, as fine Wire-gauze-which is applied to the opening'at the lower side of the said frame. 11 is a cover of slate which is applied to the top of the said frame 9, and 12 is a lining of cement which is applied to the inner surface of the frame 9 for the protection of the latter.

The frame 9 is partly immersed in the Water 8, which is contained within the tank or conthe wire-gauze 10, is supposed to be contained in the present instance a quantity of brine, as 13. Within the compartment which isinclosed by the frame 9 and its Wire-gauze 10 is placed one or a series of anodes. The latter may be of any approved or suitable construction. I have herein showna series of socalled filamentary electrodes, each consisting of a plurality of filaments, as 14 14, of platinum. or other suitable material, extending in different directions horizontally from the lower end of a stem 15of glass or other suitable material.

16 is the positive Wire, it being in connection with the filaments 14 14 of each of the anodes, as by havin g'a branch thereof passed down within the interior of each of the stems 15 15and electrically connected in suitable manner with the filaments at the lower end is passed through a'hole that is made therefor in the cover 11.

17 is a layer of gravel or other material suitable for the purpose, which rests on the upper surface of the sheet of wire-gauze 10 and serves to'separate the filaments of the anodes from the said gauze. The sheet of gauze 10 is shown herein as arranged in a horizontal position between the contents of the anodecompartment and the contents of the tank or vessel 6 exterior to the frame 9. The said sheet consists ofv a sheet of amalgamated finely reticulated or foraminated metal-for instance,a sheet of amalgamated wire-gauze that is to say, I apply to the sheet of wiregauze which I employasmall quantity of mercury, the quantity being sufficient to serve by its union with the gauze to close the meshes of the latter. To prevent forcing of the mercury out of the meshes of the gauze and consequent flow of the contents of either com partment into the other, I maintain an equal pressure in the two compartments. This may be effected, for example, by properly proportioning the height of the liquid contents of -of such stem. Each of the said stems 15 15 SO taining vessel 6, and in the said frame 9, above each compartment. An inclined position of the sheet of wire-gauze 10 would cause the mercury to tend to gravitate toward the lowest portion of the said sheet. To obviate this tendency, I dispose the said sheet in a horizontal position, as above stated.-

The finely reticulated or foraminated metal sheet 10 separates the brine above the same from the water below the same. The inner compartment practically comprises a complete cell within itself, and the decomposition of this brine takes place therein. The cathode thereof is in reality the upper surface of the amalgamated sheet. In the illustrated cell there is one anode at the filamentary electrode or electrodes, one cathode at the upper surface of the amalgamated sheet 10, a second anode at the under side of the said amalgamated sheet, and a second cathode at the surface of the metallic containing vessel-that is to say, there are, in effect, two cells dissimilar in character and functions connected in series, and the liberation of hydrogen and alkali occurs at the surface of the metallic containing-tank. In same cases I contemplate forming the outercontainingves sel of electrically-inert material and connecting the negative wire directly to the sheet 10. In this case the cathode action will not take place at the tank-surface, and the hydrogen and alkali will appear at the under side of the amalgamated sheet. In either case the liberation will occur in the water of the outside compartment. It will be obvious that a sheet of metal perforated with numerous fine holes will be an equivalent of the gauze to which reference is made herein and may be substituted therefor. By placing the brine in the compartment above the sheet of iron gauze 10 I cause the chlorin to be evolved above the said sheet, so that there is no tendency of such gas to collect below the latter, and the objectionable sequences of such collection thereby are obviated. Suitable provisions will be made in practice for leading the chlorin away as fast as it is formed.

The working of my improved cell will be obvious-that is to say, as fast as the alkaline metal is set free by the electrolytic action in the anode-compartment above the sheet 10 it will become absorbed by the mercury which is amalgamated with the wire of which the said sheet is composed, while just as fast as it enters the mercury it will be removed therefrom by the water in contact with the under surface of the said sheet and by chemical union with the said water will be converted into the required hydrate. Should the salt to be electrolyzed not be perfectly pure, there will accumulate in the mercury in the gauze a quantity of impurities,which will rap-' idly cause the said mercury to lose its fluidity. Since the amount of mercury in the gauze is so extremely small, a very small accumulation, as mentioned, will suffice to spoil the proper action of the partition. With a view to eliminating as far as possible the injurious consequences of such admixture with impurities I arrange a quantity of pure mercury in receptacles 18, from which it is allowed to drip through glass tubes 19, drawn down fine at their lower ends upon the gauze at a sufficient number of points-to wash out the impurities constantly being deposited during the operation of the cell. As fast as the mercury is thus supplied to the top surfaceof the gauze impure mercury drips from the bottom of the latter and maybe collected and purified in any suitable manner, as by distillation. In the particular form of the apparatus described in the present application the mercury is delivered upon the top of the layer of gravel and will then percolate through to the gauze beneath. It will be obvious that any other convenient method may be utilized of supplying fresh mercury to the amalgamated surface of the sheet of gauze with a view to maintaining it su fficiently free from impurities.

I claim as my invention- 1. An electrolytic cell for the decomposition of the salts of the alkaline metals, having an anode, a cathode consisting of an amalgamated reticulated or foraminated metallic sheet, one side of which receives the alkaline metal, said cell constructed to contain in contact with that side of said sheet the'solution to be decomposed and also to hold in contact with the other side of said sheet a body of water into which the said metal is discharged, and having means of supplying fresh mercury to said sheet to maintain the mercury held thereby free from impurities, substantially as described.

2. An electrolytic cell for the decomp0sition of the salts of the alkaline metals, havin g an anode, a cathode consisting of amalgamated wire-gauze one side of which receives the alkaline metal, said cell constructed to contain in contact with that side of the said sheet the solution to be decomposed and also to hold in contact with the other side of said sheet a body of water into which the said metal is discharged, and having means of supplying fresh mercury to said sheet to maintain the mercury held thereby free from impurities, substantially as described.

3. An electrolytic cell for the decomposition of the salts of the alkaline metals, hav ing an anode, a cathode consisting of a horizontal amalgamated reticulated or foraminated metallic sheet,one side of which receives the alkaline metal, said cell constructed to contain in contact with that side of said sheet the solution to be decomposed and also to hold in contact with the other side of said sheet a body of water into which the said metal is discharged,and having means of supplying fresh mercury to said sheet to maintain the mercury held thereby free from impurities, substantially as described.

4. An electrolytic cell for the decompositain the mercury held thereby free from imtion of the salts of the alkaline metals, having I In testimony whereof I affix my signature a? anode,and alsohgvingaclathode consisting in presence of two Witnesses.

0 an amalgamate reticu ated or foraminated metallic sheet, and having means of ERNEST LE SUEUR supplying fresh mercury to said sheet to mai 11- Witnesses: v

GEORGE D. BISBEE, R.'H. DEARBORN.

purities, substantially as described.-